‘Morning, Mrs Price. I thought I’d pop in on my way to the nurseries just in case you had any questions. Is Fisher about?’
She smiles at me warmly.
‘He’s had his two cups of coffee and he’s out in the boat yard at present. I’m glad you called in. It’s not urgent, but when you get an odd half-hour if you could go through the damaged stock return procedure with me, I’d be grateful. There are two items to go back and Jack simply shrugged his shoulders at me.’
Jack? No one calls Fisher Jack – in fact, I’d almost forgotten what his first name was.
‘No problem. I’ll arrange with Martin to leave a bit early on Friday and pop in here around three-thirty?’
‘Perfect. I hear congratulations are in order, too. I was so sorry I didn’t make it to the meeting, but I was teaching. I can’t believe I missed such an interesting one.’
Mrs Price sounds genuinely delighted by the news. All those occasions when she hasn’t been around, I thought it was because she didn’t want to join in. It turns out she was working and would love to have been involved.
‘Thank you. I… um, well, there’s a fair bit to organise first, of course. Gray’s mother, Rona, has never been to Aysbury and he’s hoping she’ll be free to drive over at the weekend. I’d love to introduce you to her; she’s a charming lady, and it’s going to be a bit daunting for her at first. She used to teach, too; infants, I believe, so you have something in common.’
‘Yes, of course – that would be delightful. I’m free all weekend, in between clipping the Santa Ahoy cruise tickets, of course.’
‘Perfect. I’m hoping we can fit in an afternoon tea at The Bullrush Inn and introduce her to a few of our friends.’
I feel so guilty now, for thinking of Mrs Price as rather aloof. And it looks as if Fisher is happy to have her around, too, because if he wasn’t, he’d be on the phone to me in an instant.
‘Right, I must get off. Martin was panicking yesterday, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed everyone turns up for work today. We were three down again and I ended up having to go out in the van with him to give a hand with some deliveries. Actually…’ I lean in, lowering my voice ‘… I enjoy freshening up the floral arrangements. But don’t breathe a word to Fisher. He’s already annoyed that I give Martin more time than I give him.’
Her mouth twitches.
‘Jack told me you’re like a daughter to him, Immi, and he meant it.’
‘Yes, well, I’m a bit annoyed with both him and Tollie, to be honest with you. But I’ve managed to cool down a little. Sometimes they forget that I’m a grown woman, perfectly capable of organising my own life.’
Mrs Price’s eyes open a little wider in surprise as I head off, muttering to myself. It seems that everyone is now aware that Gray is going to become a permanent member of our happy little band.
I’m pretty sure that Tollie knew what he was doing at the meeting; it wasn’t something that simply slipped out. He was making sure Gray and I don’t drag our feet. I don’t know whether to feel cross that Tollie is still trying to steer me along my path in life, or touched that he’s so convinced Gray and I are right for each other.
As I exit the marina, it’s time to step up the pace – I’m running behind. I spot Fisher coming towards me.
‘Everything okay?’ he asks, a slight frown etched on his forehead.
‘It is, thank you. I’ll pop in on Friday, but I can’t stop now. I’m late.’
His frown deepens as we pass by, but I keep walking. He turns to call after me, but I don’t look back.
‘You’re cross with me, I can tell. No harm meant, Immi.’ His voice gets louder the further away I get, as he tries to make amends. ‘It’s going to be a great Christmas, though.’
I nonchalantly wave my arm in the air, while breaking into a jog. It doesn’t hurt to let him stew for a bit. It’s time to put a halt to the meddling.
My phone starts to ping, but I don’t have time to stop and see who it is; I bet its Fisher telling me to be careful I don’t trip and fall into the canal, or something equally ridiculous. And overprotective.
I glance up at the sky. It’s another beautiful day and several degrees warmer than yesterday. The early morning frost is almost gone, already. I’m praying that it stays like this through to the weekend and Rona is able to drive herself over. How could anyone not think of this as a little slice of heaven, and the perfect place to move to be close to family?
‘You’ve been glued to your phone for the last twenty minutes,’ Martin complains as he polishes off the last of his sandwich.
I nod, munching as fast as I can in between texting Gray. He still doesn’t have anything firm lined up for work and there are no more cheques in the pipeline. He had high hopes for a big project, one that would really take him in the direction he longs to go, but communication has gone ominously quiet. After a little back and forth, he suddenly changes the subject.
Mum’s definitely up for driving over on Saturday. I suggested she join us for the second cruise. I think she’d enjoy that. She’s looking forward to afternoon tea at The Bullrush.
Does that mean he’s told her everything and had the chat about moving?
Great. I’ve invited Mrs Price along. I’ll book a table in the conservatory. How is Rona doing in general?
He’ll know I’m fishing.
We had a talk about the house, and I pointed out that it needs a fair bit of work doing to it now. I sowed the seed. Hopefully Saturday we can build on that.
I let out a sigh. It would have been better to sit her down and tell her exactly what’s happening and the fact he’d be happier if she was nearby. But I can’t interfere, and I don’t want to upset him.
Great. I must go. Lunch is nearly over and Martin is waiting for me. We’re off to the Linden Hotel. We’re decking out the big function room for a corporate Christmas party on Thursday. No expense spared. Speak later. x
Martin and a couple of the guys are already loading the van.
‘Is Gray alright?’ he enquires as I walk past him with my arms clutched around an oversized box containing a garland for a mantelpiece.
‘He’s good. His work tends to tail off at Christmas. He’s always writing tunes, so he keeps busy, but he worries about cash flow.’
‘When you’re self-employed it’s always a concern. I’ve had my tough years, wondering whether I could keep afloat, and now it’s going the other way. I’ve just swapped one load of worries for another, it seems. Right, I think we can head back to get the rest of the boxes now.’
He half turns, calling out over his shoulder.
‘Grab your coats, guys, we have a long afternoon ahead of us.’
‘I owe you an apology for blurtin’ out your news, Immi.’ Tollie at least has the decency to look genuinely sorry. ‘I just got a tad carried away, I’m afraid.’
There’s a little sparkle in his eye that hasn’t been there for a while. He’s been worrying about Gray and me, and now he feels he can finally relax. Which makes me feel guilty, so how can I be annoyed with him?
‘I don’t believe a word of it, but I’ll forgive you, all the same. We are determined to keep the engagement celebration small, though.’
Collapsing down rather gratefully onto the sofa, I’m exhausted from a long afternoon climbing ladders and trekking back and forth to the van.
‘I’ll happily foot the bill if you want to hold it at The Bullrush. Everyone will be expectin’ an invitation, Immi.’
My phone pings and it’s an excuse to avoid eye contact. It’s a text from Gray.
‘Tollie, that’s very kind of you but we don’t want to make a big fuss. There’s too much going on in the run-up to Christmas. We were rather hoping to have some quality family time together, rather than a party.’
‘This is about Rona, isn’t it?’
I shrug my shoulders as I push the phone back into my pocket.
‘That will need some sorting, admittedly. Which is why we want to take it slowly. But this is the quiet time of the year for Gray, workwise, which means he’s worried about money, too. With the hours I’m working I can pay for a party, but he’s a proud man; you know what he’s like.’
Tollie looks at me rather glumly. ‘I said the wrong thing, at the wrong time – that wasn’t fair. I shouldn’t have meddled, Immi, but – well, I didn’t stop to think about the implications.’
‘It’s not your fault, it’s just the circumstances. I suggested to Gray that we wait until the spring to celebrate our engagement, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He’s so happy now the decision has been made that he just wants to make it all happen. But we both agree that we keep the celebration small and no one gets carried away. The fact it’s all being arranged at such short notice is the perfect excuse, to be honest. I’ll get my head around it somehow.’
‘Fair enough. I’m sure folk will understand. I’m assumin’ the weddin’ bash will make up for it, though?’
I let out an exasperated tut. ‘Tollie, please! Yes, we’ll have a big party and all the locals will be invited. However, I’m warning you now that the wedding itself is going to be a very simple, and small, affair. The last thing I want is Gray worrying about what it’s all going to cost. If Rona isn’t able to find herself a nice little job, then she’s reliant upon him to help her out.’
I can’t let Tollie know that Gray intends adding his own little nest egg to mine, so we can pay for the renovation work to bring the cottage up to date for him. And I certainly don’t want Tollie frittering away his life savings on things that aren’t necessary, like an over-the-top wedding.
‘Well, I might as well say what’s on my mind, then. I’ve been waitin’ for the right moment and it’s been a long time comin’.’
Tollie raises his eyebrows, a little tic suddenly flickering away at the side of his eye. He’s emotional and I need to sit quietly and hear him out.
‘When your grandma knew she was dyin’, being the type of woman she was, I was given my orders. So, you can’t argue with this, Immi, because it was her wish. Whatever your weddin’ costs, the money has already been earmarked. You have what makes you and Gray happy, because it’s sorted.’
He pauses and I resist the temptation to interrupt him, thoughts of Grandma making my eyes prickle with tears.
‘There’s one more thing. Well, two, as a matter of fact. The first is that she wanted me to give you her engagement ring when the time was right.’ Tollie eases himself up out of his chair and walks over to the carved wooden box that has always graced the mantelpiece. Lifting off the lid, he dips inside and turns, holding out a small velvet pouch to me.
I stand and walk towards him, as our eyes meet. The look we exchange is one of uneasy sadness, and we both have tears in our eyes as I undo the string. Pulling out Grandma’s ring, I lay it flat on the palm of my hand.
‘It’s beautiful, Tollie. I always thought that. And I’m grateful to you both. I will treasure it always.’
He takes a moment to compose himself, but when he starts speaking again his voice is uneven.
‘It’s likely you’ll want your own ring, of course, but she was insistent that I waited for this moment to give it to you. She said it would remind you that her love is around you always.’
I stare down at the vintage, eighteen-carat, white-gold ring, which I admired even as a very small child. The octagonally cut aqua stone is stunning, with a small baguette diamond on each shoulder of the setting. Grandma told me the story many times over, of how Tollie insisted on taking her ring shopping. When she looked in the window, he saw the aqua stone catch her eye, but she instinctively turned and pointed to a much less expensive ring. He’d had to almost drag her inside to get her finger measured, as she was loath to see him spend his hard-earned money. She told him a ring wasn’t necessary to win her heart.
On the day of their engagement when she opened the box, she said she almost fainted when she saw the aqua ring. She told him off and, apparently, everyone burst out laughing. He had to talk her out of returning it. Grandma gave in when she realised Tollie wasn’t simply trying to impress her, but it was a mark of his love for her.
I place it back inside the pouch and step forward to accept Tollie’s embrace.
‘This is the ring I want, and I know that Gray will understand. It means so much, Tollie. Besides, I’d rather he helped sort his mum out financially and this feels like a gift to us both.’
Standing back, I can see his relief at my reaction.
‘Well, m’dear, she’d be proud, for sure. With regard to Rona, houses here aren’t cheap, but it would be nice for her to be close by. As we get older, every memory we make is precious. That’s why I want you and Gray to take over the cottage. It’s time it had a facelift to see it through its next stage in life. Think on it, Immi. I’m just being practical. There’s little point in me fixin’ this place up, as the pair of you will have your own ideas. It needs extendin’ in my opinion. Do it once and do it right for the future. When I’m gone The Retreat will be a way of earning a little extra and you’ll no doubt be glad of it.’
‘Oh, Tollie – let’s not make any hasty decisions; we can talk about this after Christmas. And as for the engagement party, well, I had an idea which I put to Gray and he just texted a thumbs up. What do you think about having a small gathering on Christmas Day? I know that’s a bit unusual, but it gets around the problem of not inviting every single person we know in Aysbury.’
I give him a pointed look and Tollie puts his head back, chuckling.
‘Christmas Day?’
‘Yep. Fisher’s on his own and so is Mrs Price, so I’m sure they’d be delighted to come along. With Rona, Gray and the two of us that’s six, but I also thought it would be rather nice to invite Ethel and Abe. Sarah, Kurt and the girls will be at her mum’s, of course, so they won’t feel left out. Can I cope catering for eight people, do you think?’
‘You bet. Sounds perfect to me, if that’s what will make you happy.’
‘Oh, I’m so looking forward to Christmas Day now. It feels like a turning point, Tollie. Anyway, that’s enough planning for now. It’s been a long day and I’m shattered, so I’m off to bed. Sleep well and thank you – Granddad.’
He tips his head, leaning in to plant a kiss on my cheek. It’s been a long time since I called him that – he’ll always be simply Tollie, to everyone who knows him, as he was to Grandma Nell. But he’s touched to see me feeling emotional, as I recall Christmases when I was too young to use his nickname.
‘I’ve waited a long time to see a smile like that on your face, m’dear. Everyone will welcome Rona, don’t you worry – she’s a kind-hearted lady. And there’s a bit of money left in the pot to help with doin’ up this place properly for the pair of you. Right, I’m off to The Bullrush to grab a pint with Fisher. See you in the mornin’.’
As I close the back door of the cottage behind me, I’m not sure how I feel about the thought of Tollie not living here any more. It doesn’t feel right, somehow, and I know that Gray will feel awkward about it, too. Maybe once Gray is here permanently we can talk Tollie into staying put but suggest we all pull together to put in a new kitchen, to start with. It would certainly be nice if we could freshen things up. Doing it ourselves, we can make excuses about being settled in The Retreat and carry out the work on the cottage at a pace Tollie is happy to accept. With Gray’s things around us, The Retreat will soon begin to feel like our home together, I’m sure of it, and we wouldn’t feel we were pushing Tollie out of his.
‘I love it when a plan comes together,’ I whisper into the darkness, swinging open the front door to The Retreat and stepping inside. ‘It’s payback time, Granddad,’ I murmur aloud.
It might take until next summer to get Gray here, but there’s so much to look forward to. Turning on the lights, then sinking down onto the sofa, I grab my phone when it kicks into life.
‘Did you get my text?’ The sound of Gray’s voice makes my heart skip a beat.
‘Yes. I was talking to Tollie, so I couldn’t respond.’
‘Oh. Did you put forward the idea about Christmas Day lunch?’
‘I did. And he thought it was a good idea. And Mrs Price is going to join us for tea at The Bullrush this Saturday. I told her your mum used to teach.’
Gray starts humming the strains of ‘Hallelujah’ and I burst out laughing. Do I spoil his mood and ask if he’s heard anything about work? On reflection, I don’t have the heart, so I tackle him about the other issue.
‘Tollie knows the cottage needs attention. The kitchen and bathroom are well past their sell-by date, let’s be honest. He wants us to have the cottage, but it doesn’t feel right, Gray. It was his home with Grandma. He’s jumping too far ahead, intent on handing everything over, as if we’re swapping roles. Which is ridiculous.’
‘I totally agree with you, Immi.’ Gray responds instantly.
‘I hoped you would. There’s one other thing we need to discuss; something that means a lot to me.’
‘Uh-oh, it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind about whatever it is.’
‘Before Grandma died, she told Tollie that she wanted me to have her engagement ring. It’s truly beautiful, Gray, and I really hope you understand that it’s her gift to us. She might not have met you, but she knew that one day I’d find my Mr Right, and this would make her a part of our celebration.’
I take a deep breath and hold it in, anxiously awaiting his response. I don’t want Gray feeling undermined in any way.
‘Well, I will admit it’s taken me by surprise, as I was looking forward to going ring shopping together. I mean, I don’t want to upset you if your mind is made up, but you deserve a bit of spoiling and this was going to be my moment.’
Finally expelling my breath, I screw up my eyes in the semi-darkness, keeping my fingers crossed this doesn’t turn into a thing between us.
‘I’m grateful for that thought, Gray, really I am, and there will be lots of little moments to come when you can spoil me. But this means a lot, more than any modern piece of jewellery ever could. There’s also a wedding fund she left for me. Oh, I’ve told Tollie straight that we don’t want a lavish affair, but that we will have a big party afterwards. He says whatever we want is fine, but he and Grandma put aside a pot of money for this occasion. Out of respect I think we need to accept it graciously. There’s no arguing with Tollie, at times.’
Gray is ominously silent.
‘It’s very generous, but that hardly seems fair on him, Immi. I mean, hopefully I’ll get some cash together to share the cost of it. Admittedly, Mum doesn’t have much, but I was thinking we could involve her in the arrangements, so that her contribution really counts for something. And I’m still adamant that what I have in the bank goes to fixing up the cottage. That’s something Tollie is going to have to accept.’
I was concerned this was going to be a little awkward but I’m glad to be addressing the issues in one fell swoop.
‘Of course. And that’s a wonderful idea about Rona, Gray, as we’ll need all the practical help we can get. The thought of having to organise a wedding is a little daunting, so I’m perfectly happy for her to take charge if she wants to do so. But please let’s not make this about who pays for what. Tollie wants to do this for us. If it means that leaves you in a better position to help your mum get settled here, then that will make everyone happy, won’t it?’
Another silence. I sit, my fingers nervously skimming over the cushion next to me. Money and property are two such emotive issues. I don’t want Gray to feel he’s being forced into doing something he’s not happy about.
‘Immi, is this what you really want, or are you doing it to make the best of the situation we’re in? I don’t want you to compromise for the sake of it and end up harbouring regrets.’
‘Gray, I just want us to be together and for everyone to be happy. That includes Rona, and Tollie – of course – and all our friends. Grandma’s ring is a celebration of love and does it really matter who pays for what? We can repay Tollie and Grandma’s kindness, by sorting out the cottage. That doesn’t mean we’ll move in, but he’s not to know that.’
An affirming ‘okay’ comes back a few seconds later.
‘We’re lucky, aren’t we?’ Gray continues. ‘I only have one request and it’s that I buy your wedding dress. It’s your choice entirely, but it’s my gift to you.’
‘Oh… you’re not expecting some silly ball gown, are you?’
He laughs. ‘Surprise me. Will I be doing the suit thing?’
I frown, giving it some serious consideration.
‘Let’s do it in the summer and dispense with the jackets. I’m thinking of a cornfield with poppies… a floaty knee-length dress and you in a casual white shirt, and trousers. What do you think?’
‘Okay… sounds interesting, if we can talk the vicar into it, of course.’
When you truly love someone, anything is doable. Stumbling blocks are rarely insurmountable, they are simply detours that end up taking you in the right direction.
‘You, me, the vicar, Rona, Tollie and Fisher in a field. Then later in the day, a big party at the village hall, catered by Sarah and Kurt. What do you think?’
A loud ‘hmm’ filters down the line.
‘It’s fine by me if that does it for you. But good luck getting that past Sarah, Kurt and the girls, Martin, Mrs Price, Abe and then there’s my crowd from London. I daren’t leave anyone out and choosing a best man is going to be a tough decision. You’ll understand once you meet them all.’
‘Okay. That guest list for the ceremony might need a little tweaking. Just the teensiest bit.’
‘I’m staying well out of it. You tell me what you want done and I’ll do it.’
Gray is beginning to sound a little overwhelmed already.
‘Your task is to focus on Rona. You won’t be happy unless you know she’s settled and happy. We all know she can’t stay where she is because it’s not practical. She wants you to be happy, but we want her to be happy, too. So, you concentrate on that and leave the rest to me. Is that a deal?’
‘Yes, boss. And I’m looking forward to doing up the cottage for Tollie – at least that’s something I can do. Mum won’t let me loose on her place because her heart isn’t in it any more, so the sooner she cuts the last of her emotional ties with it, the better. I love you, Immi. You’ve made our wedding about everyone and not just about us. And that’s precisely why I fell in love with you in the first place.’